PROVENANCE
Printed cloth is not batik.
Demand outstrips what hand workshops can produce, and printed fabric carrying a batik motif is routinely sold as the real thing. Buyers abroad have no practical way to tell the difference.
How the substitution works
- Cloth printed or screened with a batik motif is not batik, however closely the motif resembles one.
- On genuine batik the dye penetrates, so motif and colour read equally on both faces. Printed cloth is sharp on one face and pale or white on the reverse.
- Settling a dispute means a textile laboratory or a trained assessor. Not something a buyer overseas can do when the parcel arrives.
Batikmark
Batikmark is the Ministry of Industry label certifying a product as genuine Indonesian batik, whether tulis, cap or combination. Misusing the label carries penalties under Indonesian law, including intellectual property action.
batik.go.id, Kemenperin
What we record per piece
| Field | Recorded |
|---|---|
| Craft centre and region | Yes |
| Technique (tulis, cap, combination) | Yes |
| Dye type (natural or synthetic) | Yes |
| Batikmark certification, where held | Yes |
| Date acquired | Yes |
| Workshop identity | Held privately |